Skip to content
Points of Review | Film ReviewsPoints of Review Logo

Film Reviews, Festival Coverage, and Interviews

  • Film Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Film Festivals
    • Sundance Film FestivalDiscover the best of the Sundance Film Festival. From standout indie films to in-depth reviews and coverage, explore what makes Sundance the heart of independent cinema.
    • Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
    • SXSW Film & TV FestivalExplore the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival Read film reviews, interviews with filmmakers, and get red-carpet access to world premieres at SXSW.
    • Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF)
    • Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF)CUFF | Dive into the Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF) with exclusive coverage, reviews, and interviews. Celebrate local, Canadian, and global genre cinema in Calgary.
    • Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
    • Fantasia Fest
  • Lists
  • YouTube
  • About Me
Search this website Press Escape to close the search panel.
Press Escape to close the search panel.
  • Film Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Film Festivals
    • Sundance Film Festival
    • Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
    • SXSW Film & TV Festival
    • Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF)
    • Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF)
    • Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF)
    • Fantasia Fest
  • Lists
  • YouTube
  • About Me

Points of Review

Film Reviews, Festival Coverage, and Interviews with Filmmakers

Points of Review
LA BOLA NEGRA (2026), directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, collectively known as Los Javis, has won the TIFF 2026 People’s Choice Award. The 155-minute film follows three queer men across three periods in Spain: Carlos in 1932, Sebastián in 1937, and Alberto in 2017.Inspired by Federico García Lorca’s unfinished play La Bola Negra, as well as Alberto Conejero’s La Piedra Oscura, the film connects these three stories through desire, repression, memory, inheritance, and the art that survives after people are gone.In this La Bola Negra review, I look at how Los Javis gradually bring its seemingly separate timelines together through cinematography, editing, music, sound, poetry, and recurring imagery. That includes the black ball at the centre of Carlos’s story, Lorca’s associations with snow, Sebastián and Rafael’s relationship during the Spanish Civil War, and Alberto’s much more contemporary world of Grindr, iPhones, and Candy Crush.I also dig into the film’s relationship with Federico García Lorca, including his unfinished work, his poetry, the influence he had on Leonard Cohen, and the larger idea of artists inheriting and reinterpreting work that previous generations were never able to finish.Visually, La Bola Negra is extraordinary. Its blocking, natural light, production design, use of windows and doorways, transitions through light and shadow, and precise compositions make this one of the most visually impressive films I’ve seen recently. But that beauty is consistently tied to the film’s larger ideas about silence, queer history, memory, physical intimacy, and the preservation of lives that might otherwise disappear.At 155 minutes, La Bola Negra is certainly ambitious, but I never found myself drifting. It was my favourite film at TIFF 2026 and, at least for now, might be my favourite film of the year.🎥 More from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🍿 26 Movies to Watch at TIFF 2026: https://pointsofreviews.com/tiff-2026-top-films-to-watch/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Chapters:
00:00 La Bola Negra Review & TIFF 2026
00:45 What Is La Bola Negra About?
01:57 Federico García Lorca, Leonard Cohen & Inheritance
03:01 La Bola Negra’s Cinematography & Visual Style
04:02 How the Three Timelines Connect
06:04 Carlos (1932) & Lorca’s Unfinished La Bola Negra
07:18 Sebastián, Rafael & the Spanish Civil War
08:48 Alberto (2017) & Queer Memory
10:07 Silence, Repression & Unfinished Lives
10:52 Art, Memory & Preservation
11:39 Is La Bola Negra Worth Watching?#LaBolaNegra #TIFF2026 #LosJavis
La Bola Negra Might Be My Favourite Film of 2026
*Everytime*, written and directed by Sandra Wollner, comes to TIFF 2026 after winning the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes. In this review and analysis, I look at the film’s portrait of grief and memory, Gregory Oke’s cinematography after *Aftersun*, and the surreal third act that completely changed my response to the film.Starring Birgit Minichmayr, Lotte Shirin Keiling, Tristan López and Carla Hüttermann, *Everytime* follows a mother, younger daughter and teenage boy brought together by tragedy before travelling to Tenerife for a family holiday that never happened.🎥 Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Film Discussed:Everytime (Sandra Wollner): After a tragedy, a mother, younger daughter and teenage boy travel to Tenerife as grief, memory and reality begin to overlap.
https://www.tiff.net/films/everytimeOfficial Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4FsfG-TzEwTopics Discussed:Gregory Oke’s cinematography and the parallels with Aftersun
Memory, grief and absence
Long-lens cinematography
Sound, photographs and digital memory
Water, sunlight and recurring visual motifs
The transition from realism into surrealism
Why the third act completely changed the film for me#Everytime #TIFF2026 #FilmReview
EVERYTIME Movie Review
TIFF 2026 runs September 10–20, with 293 titles at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. Here are 10 Canadian films you should add to your watchlist.The list ranges from Quebec thrillers and Indigenous hockey to political dramas and international co-productions.🎥 Points of Review
🌐 Full Article: https://pointsofreviews.com/top-10-canadian-films-to-watch-at-tiff-2026
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Films Discussed:A Long Winter (Andrew Haigh): A young man and his family confront grief after his mother disappears during a blizzard.
https://tiff.net/films/a-long-winterClosing Night (Cody Fern): An acclaimed actor’s estranged sister returns as she prepares for a major Broadway performance.
https://tiff.net/films/closing-nightHow We Stand (Marie Clements): Three Indigenous sisters separated by government policy and tragedy are drawn back together years later.
https://tiff.net/films/how-we-standL'AUTRE (Alexandre Franchi): A cancer patient begins to suspect his hospital roommate is connected to a much larger threat.
https://tiff.net/films/lautreLadies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (Matthew Rankin): Archival footage, political advertising and Canadian television become an unconventional portrait of Brian Mulroney’s rise.
https://tiff.net/films/ladies-and-gentlemen-brian-mulroneyNobody’s Violence (Denis Côté): A woman involved in assisted-death pacts begins questioning the life she has built.
https://tiff.net/films/nobodys-violenceSmudge the Blades (Cody Lightning): A Zamboni driver takes over a northern Alberta Indigenous U18 hockey team in its final season.
https://tiff.net/films/smudge-the-bladesThe Betrayers (David Bezmozgis): A former Soviet dissident encounters the man whose betrayal sent him to prison decades earlier.
https://tiff.net/films/the-betrayersThe Stunt Driver (Michael Dowse): Canadian daredevil Ken Carter spends years trying to launch a rocket-powered car across the St. Lawrence River.
https://tiff.net/films/the-stunt-driverToy Gun Bandit (Rémi St-Michel): A Quebec teenager’s toy-gun prank pulls him toward increasingly serious crime.
https://tiff.net/films/toy-gun-banditChapters:
00:00 Canadian Films at TIFF
00:11 10. The Stunt Driver
01:42 9. Closing Night
02:59 8. L'AUTRE
04:30 7. Toy Gun Bandit
06:25 6. How We Stand
07:53 5. The Betrayers
09:19 4. Smudge the Blades
11:03 3. Nobody’s Violence
12:36 2. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney
14:06 1. A Long Winter
15:33 More TIFF Coverage#TIFF2026 #CanadianFilm #FilmRecommendations
TIFF 2026: 10 Most Anticipated Canadian Films
TIFF 2026 runs September 10–20, with 293 titles at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. Here are 26 films you should add to your watchlist.The list balances major premieres with Canadian films, international pictures, and lower-profile picks that may not be on your radar.🎥 Points of Review
🌐 Full Article: https://pointsofreviews.com/tiff-2026-top-films-to-watch/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Films Discussed:A Long Winter (Andrew Haigh): A mountain family faces grief after their mother disappears.
https://tiff.net/films/a-long-winterA Talent for Murder (Anton Corbijn): Patricia Highsmith faces an agent seeking one final Ripley novel.
https://tiff.net/films/a-talent-for-murderAll of a Sudden (Ryusuke Hamaguchi): A care worker and terminally ill theatre director form an unexpected friendship.
https://tiff.net/films/all-of-a-suddenBucking Fastard (Werner Herzog): Two inseparable sisters search for a place where true love can exist.
https://tiff.net/films/bucking-fastardBunker (Florian Zeller): A marriage fractures after an architect takes a morally questionable job.
https://tiff.net/films/bunkerClub Kid (Jordan Firstman): A New York party promoter suddenly discovers he has a 10-year-old son.
https://tiff.net/films/club-kidCoward (Lukas Dhont): Two young soldiers form an intimate bond during the First World War.
https://tiff.net/films/cowardEverytime (Sandra Wollner): A family trip blurs memory, guilt and forgiveness after a girl’s death.
https://tiff.net/films/everytimeFjord (Cristian Mungiu): A child’s bruises ignite a conflict over parenting, culture and intervention.
https://tiff.net/films/fjordGentle Monster (Marie Kreutzer): A woman questions everything after her husband is arrested.
https://tiff.net/films/gentle-monsterHa-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (Josef Kubota Wladyka): A grieving ballroom dancer is pulled back toward dance and connection.
https://tiff.net/films/ha-chan-shake-your-bootyHow We Stand (Marie Clements): Three Indigenous sisters separated by tragedy are drawn back together.
https://tiff.net/films/how-we-standLa Bola Negra (Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi): Three men across eras connect queer desire and inheritance through Lorca.
https://tiff.net/films/la-bola-negraLadies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (Matthew Rankin): Archival footage becomes an unconventional portrait of Brian Mulroney.
https://tiff.net/films/ladies-and-gentlemen-brian-mulroneyMinotaur (Andrey Zvyagintsev): A Russian businessman’s morality unravels amid military mobilization.
https://tiff.net/films/minotaurNobody’s Violence (Denis Côté): A woman involved in death pacts begins questioning the life she chose.
https://tiff.net/films/nobodys-violenceOnce Upon a Time in Harlem (William Greaves & David Greaves): Unseen 1972 footage captures figures of the Harlem Renaissance.
https://tiff.net/films/once-upon-a-time-in-harlemPossible Love (Lee Chang-dong): Two married couples collide as class, desire and hidden tensions surface.
https://tiff.net/films/possible-loveRiver (Joshua Giuliano): Three siblings are stranded on a remote river while something hunts them.
https://tiff.net/films/riverSmudge the Blades (Cody Lightning): A Zamboni driver takes over an Indigenous U18 hockey team.
https://tiff.net/films/smudge-the-bladesTangles (Leah Nelson): A daughter returns home as her mother’s Alzheimer’s progresses.
https://tiff.net/films/tanglesThe Debut (Jesse Eisenberg): A housewife lands a community-theatre role and becomes consumed by it.
https://tiff.net/films/the-debutThe Diary of a Chambermaid (Radu Jude): A Romanian housekeeper lives a modern echo of Mirbeau’s class tensions.
https://tiff.net/films/the-diary-of-a-chambermaidThe Man I Love (Ira Sachs): A New York artist navigates love and mortality during the AIDS crisis.
https://tiff.net/films/the-man-i-loveThe Unknown (Arthur Harari): A photographer follows a woman and wakes hours later inside her body.
https://tiff.net/films/the-unknownYour Mother Your Mother Your Mother (Bassam Tariq): A devout Muslim hitman tries to protect his family after his wife dies.
https://tiff.net/films/your-mother-your-mother-your-motherChapters:
00:00 TIFF 2026
00:45 26. Fjord
01:59 25. Bucking Fastard
02:58 24. How We Stand
04:11 23. River
05:20 22. Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
06:30 21. Smudge the Blades
07:47 20. Club Kid
08:56 19. Tangles
10:20 18. Once Upon a Time in Harlem
11:51 17. Everytime
13:10 16. Possible Love
14:18 15. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
15:44 14. Bunker
16:57 13. A Talent for Murder
18:05 12. Gentle Monster
19:41 11. The Unknown
21:11 10. Nobody’s Violence
22:28 9. The Man I Love
23:51 8. The Diary of a Chambermaid
25:11 7. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney
26:43 6. La Bola Negra
28:50 5. The Debut
30:18 4. All of a Sudden
32:01 3. Minotaur
33:33 2. Coward
35:06 1. A Long Winter
37:28 TIFF 26: Canadian Films & Hidden Gems#TIFF2026 #FilmFestival #FilmRecommendations
26 Movies to Watch at TIFF 2026
BUDDY (2026) is the latest horror-comedy from Casper Kelly, creator of Too Many Cooks and Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, turning the familiar language of 1990s children's television into something violent, funny, and increasingly existential.In this BUDDY review, I also speak with director Casper Kelly about the film's influences, casting, cinematography, aspect ratios, sound design, and some of the Easter eggs buried inside its twisted children's TV world.Kelly discusses how Barney, Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues, Pee-wee's Playhouse, and Thomas the Tank Engine helped shape the fictional It's Buddy!, while he and cinematographer Zach Kuperstein worked to recreate the texture of 1990s television through cameras, resolution, colour, changing aspect ratios, and even shifts from stereo to 5.1 sound.We also dig into some of BUDDY's more existential references, including the fake credit for Lou Boltzmann and its connection to Ludwig Boltzmann and the Boltzmann Brain. Kelly confirms the reference — and that I was the first person to catch it — before we get into another possible Easter egg involving Nick Bostrom and simulation theory.Cast of BUDDY:
Cristin Milioti as Grace
Delaney Quinn as Freddy
Topher Grace as Ben
Keegan-Michael Key as Buddy
Michael Shannon as Willie
Patton Oswalt as StrappyAfter playing Sundance, SXSW, Fantasia, and other festivals, BUDDY hits theatres August 28, 2026.More from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
👥💬 Full Buddy Interview with Casper Kelly: https://pointsofreviews.com/casper-kelly-interview-budd-90s-tv-look-and-hidden-easter-eggs/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview/sub_confirmation=100:00 Buddy (2026) Review
00:22 Casper Kelly & How Buddy Was Made
02:06 Casper Kelly on Buddy's Children's TV Influences
03:32 Buddy Cast & Casper Kelly on Casting
04:23 Delaney Quinn & Buddy's Young Cast
05:14 Zach Kuperstein & Buddy's Cinematography
05:41 Casper Kelly on the Cameras & Visual Style
06:45 Aspect Ratios, Colour & Buddy's Changing Worlds
07:26 Casper Kelly on Aspect Ratios, Sound & World-Building
08:18 Buddy Easter Eggs & Hidden References
08:57 Casper Kelly Confirms the Boltzmann Brain Easter Egg
09:20 Buddy's Other Hidden Easter Eggs
09:51 Casper Kelly on Simulation Theory
10:14 Is Buddy Worth Watching?
10:36 What Casper Kelly Wants Audiences to Take From Buddy
10:55 Final Thoughts on Buddy#BuddyMovie #CasperKelly #FilmAnalysis
BUDDY (2026) Review | Casper Kelly on the Film's Hidden Details
The Fantasia International Film Festival returns to Montreal for its 30th edition, running from July 16 to August 2, 2026. Here are 15 “must-watch” films from the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival.Read the complete list, with screening dates and more information on each film:
https://pointsofreviews.com/top-15-films-to-watch-at-fantasia-2026/You can explore the full Fantasia 2026 film programme here:
https://fantasiafestival.com/en/festival-2026/program/movies🎥 More from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com
🎤 Inside the Rot: Oliver Bernsen on Bagworm: https://pointsofreviews.com/bagworm-oliver-bernsen-cuff/
🎤 A Safe Distance Interview: https://pointsofreviews.com/a-safe-distance-film-sxsw-interview/
🎬 Top 5 Films from SXSW 2026: https://pointsofreviews.com/top-films-sxsw-2026/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1All Films Discussed in the Video (in alphabetical order):A Safe Distance (dir. Gloria Mercer)
Bagworm (dir. Oliver Bernsen)
Black Zombie (dir. Maya Annik Bedward)
Blaise (dir. Dimitri Planchon & Jean-Paul Guigue)
Drag (dir. Raviv Ullman & Greg Yagolnitzer)
Freaks Part II (dir. Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein)
Her Private Hell (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn)
Jim Queen (dir. Marco Nguyen & Nicolas Athané)
Matapanki (dir. Diego “Mapache” Fuentes)
Never After Dark (dir. Dave Boyle)
Someone’s Daughter (dir. Wiebke von Carolsfeld)
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (dir. Jane Schoenbrun)
The Fox (dir. Dario Russo)
The Samurai and the Prisoner (dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
You Are the Film (dir. Makoto Ueda)00:00 Fantasia 2026
00:23 15. Her Private Hell
01:35 14. A Safe Distance
03:18 13. Black Zombie
04:13 12. Someone’s Daughter
05:47 11. Blaise
07:08 10. Matapanki
08:55 9. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
10:35 8. Freaks Part II
11:26 7. Jim Queen
12:58 6. The Fox
14:05 5. The Samurai and the Prisoner
15:18 4. Never After Dark
16:45 3. Drag
18:02 2. You Are the Film
19:13 1. Bagworm#Fantasia2026 #FantasiaFest #FilmFestival
Top Films at the 2026 Fantasia Film Festival
The Sun Never Sets is the latest film from writer-director Joe Swanberg, and stars Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, Cory Michael Smith, Debby Ryan, Anna Konkle, Lamorne Morris, and Karley Sciortino. Set in Alaska, the film follows Wendy as her life is thrown into emotional chaos after taking space from her boyfriend Jack, only to unexpectedly reconnect with her ex, Chuck.Premiering at SXSW 2026, The Sun Never Sets is a return to the intimate, relationship-driven storytelling that defined some of Swanberg’s most acclaimed work, while using its Alaskan setting and 35mm texture to give that emotional volatility a striking visual backdrop.Cast of The Sun Never Sets:
Dakota Fanning as Wendy
Jake Johnson as Jack
Cory Michael Smith as Chuck
Debby Ryan
Anna Konkle
Lamorne Morris
Karley SciortinoMore from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🎥 SXSW Film Page: https://schedule.sxsw.com/films/2241474
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXkV6g_6VFEZZqHFL7hxyw?sub_confirmation=1#thesunneversets #joeswanberg #mumblecore
The Sun Never Sets: FILM REVIEW | SXSW 2026
I Love Boosters is the latest film from writer-director Boots Riley, and stars Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore. Following a crew of professional shoplifters as they take aim at a ruthless fashion maven, the film blends crime-comedy chaos with Riley’s surrealist edge and sharp social satire.After opening SXSW 2026 ahead of its May 22 theatrical release from NEON, I Love Boosters arrives as one of the more intriguing American indie releases of the year.Cast of I Love Boosters:
Keke Palmer as Corvette
Naomi Ackie as Sade
Taylour Paige as Mariah
Poppy Liu as Jianpu
Demi Moore as Christie Smith
LaKeith Stanfield
Eiza González
Will Poulter
Don CheadleMore from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🎥 Official Teaser Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnfTmSAnS3c
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXkV6g_6VFEZZqHFL7hxyw?sub_confirmation=1#iloveboosters #bootsriley #filmanalysis
I LOVE BOOSTERS: Film Review | SXSW 2026
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come brings Grace back into another blood-soaked game, but this time the sequel opens the world up beyond the Le Domas family and turns survival into a larger battle over wealth, power, and control. In this Ready or Not 2 review, I break down how Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett build on the original film’s horror-comedy chaos, how the new sister dynamic with Kathryn Newton changes the emotional core, and whether the sequel earns its bigger scale.Premiering at SXSW 2026 before its March 20 theatrical release, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come stars Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, and Olivia Cheng. Here is my spoiler-free review and analysis of what works, what doesn’t, and whether this horror sequel is worth watching.Cast of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come:
Samara Weaving as Grace
Kathryn Newton as Faith
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Ursula Danforth
Shawn Hatosy as Titus Danforth
Néstor Carbonell as Ignacio El Caido
David Cronenberg as Chester Danforth
Elijah Wood as the Lawyer
Olivia Cheng as Wan Chen Xing
Daniel Beirne as Kip Danforth
Antony Hall as Wan Cheng FuMore from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🎥 Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K3sNRm8J0w
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXkV6g_6VFEZZqHFL7hxyw?sub_confirmation=1#readyornot2 #samaraweaving #filmanalysis
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come | FILM REVIEW (SXSW 2026)
What are the best movies from 2025?While this list is, in no way, absolute, here are some of the best films from this year. From The Mastermind through One Battle After Another, all the way to Sentimental Value and Sinners, I hope there is something for everyone.Check Out More: https://pointsofreviews.com/
Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf_2WXl6JaWabfNG2aVDARxKZL0bFSQ4c
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXkV6g_6VFEZZqHFL7hxyw?sub_confirmation=1Films Discussed:
Black Bag
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Starring Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, Pierce Brosnan, and Regé-Jean Page
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du0Xp8WX_7IBring Her Back
Directed by Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Starring Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, and Jonah Wren Phillips
My Review: https://youtu.be/1JzdNdqJYZkBlue Moon
Directed by Richard Linklater
Starring Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, and Andrew Scott
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo7gRHip0lIBunny
Directed by Ben Jacobson
Starring Mo Stark, Ben Jacobson, Liza Colby, Henry Czerny, and Richard Price
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU7-TlJjvKMBugonia
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Alicia Silverstone
My Review: https://youtu.be/Rgv4nTVsy7cDie, My Love
Directed by Lynne Ramsay
Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson
My Review: https://youtu.be/TvJ4Ago2dvYFriendship
Directed by Andrew DeYoung
Starring Tim Robinson, Paul Rudd, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Meredith Garretson
My Review: https://youtu.be/8piaEUxZwR8Hamnet
Directed by Chloé Zhao
Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Jacobi Jupe
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9FrQd8YEFcHallow Road
Directed by Babak Anvari
Starring Rosamund Pike, Matthew Rhys, and Megan McDonnell
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXGL49DpjJoIf I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Directed by Mary Bronstein
Starring Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, ASAP Rocky, and Christian Slater
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywFDoT7LBbQIt Was Just an Accident
Directed by Jafar Panahi
Starring Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, and Ebrahim Azizi
My Review: https://youtu.be/YMKW79IG4YkMarty Supreme
Directed by Josh Safdie
Starring Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, the Creator, and Odessa A’zion
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9gSuKaKcqMNo Other Choice
Directed by Park Chan-wook
Starring Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, and Park Hee-soon
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njVI3uhuHNANouvelle Vague
Directed by Richard Linklater
Starring Guillaume Marbeck, Zoey Deutch, and Aubry Dullin
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UufRzKVFsegOne Battle After Another
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFdemA5IZFYThe Mastermind
Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Starring Josh O’Connor, Alana Haim, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, and Bill Camp
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWokrf6yeEUThe Perfect Neighbor
Directed by Geeta Gandbhir
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMStPXclxSEPredators
Directed by David Osit
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fx52wd1QYISorry, Baby
Directed by Eva Victor
Starring Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, and Lucas Hedges
My Review: https://youtu.be/6cSh5DUkQp0The Secret Agent
Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho
Starring Wagner Moura, Udo Kier, and Maria Fernanda Cândido
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UfrzDKrhEcSentimental Value
Directed by Joachim Trier
Starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKbcKQN5YrwSirat
Directed by Oliver Laxe
Starring Sergi López, Bruno Núñez Arjona, and Jade Oukid
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-IXHXvS70Sinners
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Starring Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo
My Review: https://youtu.be/DXmg5GMW-BUTogether
Directed by Michael Shanks
Starring Alison Brie, Dave Franco, and Damon Herriman
My Review: https://youtu.be/REKowpAOtusTrain Dreams
Directed by Clint Bentley
Starring Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, and William H. Macy
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqdkHn4zY4QTimestamps:
The Top Films of the Year 00:00
25 00:37
24 01:52
23 03:12
22 04:31
21 05:43
20 07:04
19 08:20
18 09:35
17 10:57
16 12:23
15 13:37
14 14:53
13 16:27
12 17:51
11 19:04
10 20:16
9 21:37
8 22:56
7 24:02
6 25:26
5 26:53
4 28:12
3 29:39
2 31:13
1 32:36#filmrecommendations #indiemovies #2025
The 25 Best Films of 2025
Die My Love is the latest film from director Lynne Ramsay, and stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson as a young couple who move to a small rural home in hopes of creating a life together. Unfortunately, though, after the birth of their child, this romanticized idea of their lives begins to break apart.With strong performances from both Lawrence and Pattinson, director Lynne Ramsay explores motherhood and the death of dreams through a surrealist portrait of love and loss, enhanced by its 35mm film texture and Petzval lenses.Cast of Die, My Love:
Jennifer Lawrence as Grace
Robert Pattinson as Jackson
LaKeith Stanfield as Karl
Sissy Spacek as Pam
Nick Nolte as Harry
Gabrielle Rose as Jen
Debs Howard as Marsha
Sarah Lind as CherylMore from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🎥 Top Films of 2025:
Official Bugonia Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd_5HcTujfc
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXkV6g_6VFEZZqHFL7hxyw?sub_confirmation=1#diemylove #jenniferlawrence #filmanalysis #yyc
Die My Love FILM REVIEW
Bugonia is the latest from Yorgos Lanthimos and is a loose reimagining of the Korean film, Save the Green Planet! Shot on VistaVision with Robbie Ryan, the film uses a range of interesting visual techniques, like short-siding, camera movement/stillness, non-traditional exposure, and the use of lines and symmetry to create a creeping sense of unease.Cast:
Jesse Plemons as Teddy
Emma Stone as Michelle Fuller
Aidan Delbis as DonNeil Oseman on Short-Siding: https://neiloseman.com/lead-room-nose-room-or-looking-space/More from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🎥 Top Films of 2025:
Official Bugonia Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd_5HcTujfc
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQXkV6g_6VFEZZqHFL7hxyw?sub_confirmation=1#bugonia  #yorgoslanthimos  #filmanalysis
Bugonia FILM REVIEW
Subscribe

About Me

About Me

Adam Manery

From the classroom to the couch - a former teacher dives headfirst into the world of film.Occasionally insightful, but frequently full of existential dread and dry humour.
  • Opens in a new tab
  • Opens in a new tab

YouTube

Points of Review

Film Reviews, Festival Coverage, and Interviews with Filmmakers

Points of Review
LA BOLA NEGRA (2026), directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, collectively known as Los Javis, has won the TIFF 2026 People’s Choice Award. The 155-minute film follows three queer men across three periods in Spain: Carlos in 1932, Sebastián in 1937, and Alberto in 2017.Inspired by Federico García Lorca’s unfinished play La Bola Negra, as well as Alberto Conejero’s La Piedra Oscura, the film connects these three stories through desire, repression, memory, inheritance, and the art that survives after people are gone.In this La Bola Negra review, I look at how Los Javis gradually bring its seemingly separate timelines together through cinematography, editing, music, sound, poetry, and recurring imagery. That includes the black ball at the centre of Carlos’s story, Lorca’s associations with snow, Sebastián and Rafael’s relationship during the Spanish Civil War, and Alberto’s much more contemporary world of Grindr, iPhones, and Candy Crush.I also dig into the film’s relationship with Federico García Lorca, including his unfinished work, his poetry, the influence he had on Leonard Cohen, and the larger idea of artists inheriting and reinterpreting work that previous generations were never able to finish.Visually, La Bola Negra is extraordinary. Its blocking, natural light, production design, use of windows and doorways, transitions through light and shadow, and precise compositions make this one of the most visually impressive films I’ve seen recently. But that beauty is consistently tied to the film’s larger ideas about silence, queer history, memory, physical intimacy, and the preservation of lives that might otherwise disappear.At 155 minutes, La Bola Negra is certainly ambitious, but I never found myself drifting. It was my favourite film at TIFF 2026 and, at least for now, might be my favourite film of the year.🎥 More from Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🍿 26 Movies to Watch at TIFF 2026: https://pointsofreviews.com/tiff-2026-top-films-to-watch/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Chapters:
00:00 La Bola Negra Review & TIFF 2026
00:45 What Is La Bola Negra About?
01:57 Federico García Lorca, Leonard Cohen & Inheritance
03:01 La Bola Negra’s Cinematography & Visual Style
04:02 How the Three Timelines Connect
06:04 Carlos (1932) & Lorca’s Unfinished La Bola Negra
07:18 Sebastián, Rafael & the Spanish Civil War
08:48 Alberto (2017) & Queer Memory
10:07 Silence, Repression & Unfinished Lives
10:52 Art, Memory & Preservation
11:39 Is La Bola Negra Worth Watching?#LaBolaNegra #TIFF2026 #LosJavis
La Bola Negra Might Be My Favourite Film of 2026
*Everytime*, written and directed by Sandra Wollner, comes to TIFF 2026 after winning the Un Certain Regard Prize at Cannes. In this review and analysis, I look at the film’s portrait of grief and memory, Gregory Oke’s cinematography after *Aftersun*, and the surreal third act that completely changed my response to the film.Starring Birgit Minichmayr, Lotte Shirin Keiling, Tristan López and Carla Hüttermann, *Everytime* follows a mother, younger daughter and teenage boy brought together by tragedy before travelling to Tenerife for a family holiday that never happened.🎥 Points of Review
🌐 Website: https://pointsofreviews.com/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Film Discussed:Everytime (Sandra Wollner): After a tragedy, a mother, younger daughter and teenage boy travel to Tenerife as grief, memory and reality begin to overlap.
https://www.tiff.net/films/everytimeOfficial Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4FsfG-TzEwTopics Discussed:Gregory Oke’s cinematography and the parallels with Aftersun
Memory, grief and absence
Long-lens cinematography
Sound, photographs and digital memory
Water, sunlight and recurring visual motifs
The transition from realism into surrealism
Why the third act completely changed the film for me#Everytime #TIFF2026 #FilmReview
EVERYTIME Movie Review
TIFF 2026 runs September 10–20, with 293 titles at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. Here are 10 Canadian films you should add to your watchlist.The list ranges from Quebec thrillers and Indigenous hockey to political dramas and international co-productions.🎥 Points of Review
🌐 Full Article: https://pointsofreviews.com/top-10-canadian-films-to-watch-at-tiff-2026
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Films Discussed:A Long Winter (Andrew Haigh): A young man and his family confront grief after his mother disappears during a blizzard.
https://tiff.net/films/a-long-winterClosing Night (Cody Fern): An acclaimed actor’s estranged sister returns as she prepares for a major Broadway performance.
https://tiff.net/films/closing-nightHow We Stand (Marie Clements): Three Indigenous sisters separated by government policy and tragedy are drawn back together years later.
https://tiff.net/films/how-we-standL'AUTRE (Alexandre Franchi): A cancer patient begins to suspect his hospital roommate is connected to a much larger threat.
https://tiff.net/films/lautreLadies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (Matthew Rankin): Archival footage, political advertising and Canadian television become an unconventional portrait of Brian Mulroney’s rise.
https://tiff.net/films/ladies-and-gentlemen-brian-mulroneyNobody’s Violence (Denis Côté): A woman involved in assisted-death pacts begins questioning the life she has built.
https://tiff.net/films/nobodys-violenceSmudge the Blades (Cody Lightning): A Zamboni driver takes over a northern Alberta Indigenous U18 hockey team in its final season.
https://tiff.net/films/smudge-the-bladesThe Betrayers (David Bezmozgis): A former Soviet dissident encounters the man whose betrayal sent him to prison decades earlier.
https://tiff.net/films/the-betrayersThe Stunt Driver (Michael Dowse): Canadian daredevil Ken Carter spends years trying to launch a rocket-powered car across the St. Lawrence River.
https://tiff.net/films/the-stunt-driverToy Gun Bandit (Rémi St-Michel): A Quebec teenager’s toy-gun prank pulls him toward increasingly serious crime.
https://tiff.net/films/toy-gun-banditChapters:
00:00 Canadian Films at TIFF
00:11 10. The Stunt Driver
01:42 9. Closing Night
02:59 8. L'AUTRE
04:30 7. Toy Gun Bandit
06:25 6. How We Stand
07:53 5. The Betrayers
09:19 4. Smudge the Blades
11:03 3. Nobody’s Violence
12:36 2. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney
14:06 1. A Long Winter
15:33 More TIFF Coverage#TIFF2026 #CanadianFilm #FilmRecommendations
TIFF 2026: 10 Most Anticipated Canadian Films
TIFF 2026 runs September 10–20, with 293 titles at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival. Here are 26 films you should add to your watchlist.The list balances major premieres with Canadian films, international pictures, and lower-profile picks that may not be on your radar.🎥 Points of Review
🌐 Full Article: https://pointsofreviews.com/tiff-2026-top-films-to-watch/
🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@PointsofReview?sub_confirmation=1Films Discussed:A Long Winter (Andrew Haigh): A mountain family faces grief after their mother disappears.
https://tiff.net/films/a-long-winterA Talent for Murder (Anton Corbijn): Patricia Highsmith faces an agent seeking one final Ripley novel.
https://tiff.net/films/a-talent-for-murderAll of a Sudden (Ryusuke Hamaguchi): A care worker and terminally ill theatre director form an unexpected friendship.
https://tiff.net/films/all-of-a-suddenBucking Fastard (Werner Herzog): Two inseparable sisters search for a place where true love can exist.
https://tiff.net/films/bucking-fastardBunker (Florian Zeller): A marriage fractures after an architect takes a morally questionable job.
https://tiff.net/films/bunkerClub Kid (Jordan Firstman): A New York party promoter suddenly discovers he has a 10-year-old son.
https://tiff.net/films/club-kidCoward (Lukas Dhont): Two young soldiers form an intimate bond during the First World War.
https://tiff.net/films/cowardEverytime (Sandra Wollner): A family trip blurs memory, guilt and forgiveness after a girl’s death.
https://tiff.net/films/everytimeFjord (Cristian Mungiu): A child’s bruises ignite a conflict over parenting, culture and intervention.
https://tiff.net/films/fjordGentle Monster (Marie Kreutzer): A woman questions everything after her husband is arrested.
https://tiff.net/films/gentle-monsterHa-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (Josef Kubota Wladyka): A grieving ballroom dancer is pulled back toward dance and connection.
https://tiff.net/films/ha-chan-shake-your-bootyHow We Stand (Marie Clements): Three Indigenous sisters separated by tragedy are drawn back together.
https://tiff.net/films/how-we-standLa Bola Negra (Javier Calvo & Javier Ambrossi): Three men across eras connect queer desire and inheritance through Lorca.
https://tiff.net/films/la-bola-negraLadies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (Matthew Rankin): Archival footage becomes an unconventional portrait of Brian Mulroney.
https://tiff.net/films/ladies-and-gentlemen-brian-mulroneyMinotaur (Andrey Zvyagintsev): A Russian businessman’s morality unravels amid military mobilization.
https://tiff.net/films/minotaurNobody’s Violence (Denis Côté): A woman involved in death pacts begins questioning the life she chose.
https://tiff.net/films/nobodys-violenceOnce Upon a Time in Harlem (William Greaves & David Greaves): Unseen 1972 footage captures figures of the Harlem Renaissance.
https://tiff.net/films/once-upon-a-time-in-harlemPossible Love (Lee Chang-dong): Two married couples collide as class, desire and hidden tensions surface.
https://tiff.net/films/possible-loveRiver (Joshua Giuliano): Three siblings are stranded on a remote river while something hunts them.
https://tiff.net/films/riverSmudge the Blades (Cody Lightning): A Zamboni driver takes over an Indigenous U18 hockey team.
https://tiff.net/films/smudge-the-bladesTangles (Leah Nelson): A daughter returns home as her mother’s Alzheimer’s progresses.
https://tiff.net/films/tanglesThe Debut (Jesse Eisenberg): A housewife lands a community-theatre role and becomes consumed by it.
https://tiff.net/films/the-debutThe Diary of a Chambermaid (Radu Jude): A Romanian housekeeper lives a modern echo of Mirbeau’s class tensions.
https://tiff.net/films/the-diary-of-a-chambermaidThe Man I Love (Ira Sachs): A New York artist navigates love and mortality during the AIDS crisis.
https://tiff.net/films/the-man-i-loveThe Unknown (Arthur Harari): A photographer follows a woman and wakes hours later inside her body.
https://tiff.net/films/the-unknownYour Mother Your Mother Your Mother (Bassam Tariq): A devout Muslim hitman tries to protect his family after his wife dies.
https://tiff.net/films/your-mother-your-mother-your-motherChapters:
00:00 TIFF 2026
00:45 26. Fjord
01:59 25. Bucking Fastard
02:58 24. How We Stand
04:11 23. River
05:20 22. Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!
06:30 21. Smudge the Blades
07:47 20. Club Kid
08:56 19. Tangles
10:20 18. Once Upon a Time in Harlem
11:51 17. Everytime
13:10 16. Possible Love
14:18 15. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother
15:44 14. Bunker
16:57 13. A Talent for Murder
18:05 12. Gentle Monster
19:41 11. The Unknown
21:11 10. Nobody’s Violence
22:28 9. The Man I Love
23:51 8. The Diary of a Chambermaid
25:11 7. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney
26:43 6. La Bola Negra
28:50 5. The Debut
30:18 4. All of a Sudden
32:01 3. Minotaur
33:33 2. Coward
35:06 1. A Long Winter
37:28 TIFF 26: Canadian Films & Hidden Gems#TIFF2026 #FilmFestival #FilmRecommendations
26 Movies to Watch at TIFF 2026
Subscribe

Newsletter

Subscribe for More Reviews & Interviews

* indicates required
12

© 2025 Points of Review | Thoughtful Film Reviews, Festival Coverage, and Interviews

Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions